2011 smart ForTwo consumer reviews

I bought my 2011 Pure with A/C and stereo ready . Still, even at today's prices at the SMART store, there is no competition. It gets along well with others in traffic both on the highway and around town. For it's purpose as a good commuter car for two, I love it.

I have had my Smart for 3 years and nearly 30K mile and I can say I am one happy camper. My only regret is that I paid the initial price not the current market price. It runs great worst mileage I have measured is 32 MPG best is in the mid to upper 40?s. I live in Phoenix so the AC gets a serious workout. Car is comfortable as I am a big guy and haul a lot of odd stuff around. Put the passenger seat down and there is a LOT of room. Quick steering, good handling, and reasonable acceleration has made it a joy to drive in my daily short commute. Only problem so far has been a issue with the fuel tank which the dealer resolved quickly early on.

If you want a luxury car, you buy a Mercedes, but if you need good gas mileage at a low price, then you get a Smart car. As a two seater, the car is definitely not made for soccer moms or as a touring car, but made directly for the lone commuter and/or someone who has to run errands around town. There are some good points and bad points of the Smart car. One, the automatic transmission is often jumpy and shifts at inappropriate times. I've tried the manual mode as most Smart car owners do, but I wish that I had added the tachometer option and completely ignore the up and down arrow that indicates when to shift. I believe that the computer will switch gears automatically in manual mode if you don't react in time, but I am unable to confirm it as of yet. The gas mileage is wonderful! Despite the combined EPA mpg of 36, I was able to average about 44 mpg combined, but have gone as high as 54 mpg. MPG will change daily depending on the road conditions, how much electrical equipment you use, climate control usage, whether you have an open window or not, and the driver's behavior. I can easily drive 350 to 400 miles off of the 8 gallon tank. Oil and filter can be changed every 10,000 miles or once a year with a measly 3 quarts. You can't drive aggressively in this vehicle, but you can easily pass any slow moving vehicles. These cars hate going under 60 mph. Keep in mind that people will always want to pass you while you're traveling, even if you are driving well over the speed limit (I am told the top speed is 93 mph). When driving in the wind, the car handles very well and the heavy winds can be conquered with ease. It does not go over pot holes very well, but what car can go over some of these deep pot holes (I've known several people who have broken axles on SUVs because of deep pot holes)? Other than the pot holes, the car runs smoothly on rough roads . The trunk area is large! So far, I have been able to fit two weeks worth of groceries and still had space leftover! If you decide to get the car, I highly recommend getting a cargo net since most items have a tendency to move around and fall behind the seats. You may be able to fit a large dog like a Labrador or a Golden Retriever in the trunk , but that would be pushing it, so if you prefer to put dogs in the trunk, you can fit one medium size dog or 3 small dogs comfortably. Just remember to put a blanket down on the trunk floor since the engine can be very uncomfortably warm. Since I bought the base model (Pure), I did have to purchase the car without a radio and cruise control. It does have other nice features such a central locking system, alarm system, that you were not standard, but it is. So far, I am able to live without the cruise control and if I want add it later, it can as easy easy as "plug and play" (anything you add to the car be easily installed and the computer in the car will recognize it). I couldn't live without the radio, so I went to a large conglomerate store that sold radio decks and purchased one, installed it easily by just plugging it into the provided harness, speakers, and antenna (no re-wiring needed to be done). Overall, the Smart car is easy to drive. If you are not into the extra features, but if you truly need extra features that you thought you can't live without, they can be easily upgraded when you need them.

I bought a 2011 Smart Pure 2 weeks ago. Just went on a 300 mile trip, and it was successful. Must say those hills seemed bigger in this car. I drive in the manual mode all the time, and do plan on adding some more horsepower to this car. It was the first time I had completed this trip on one tank of gas, and I did between 70-80 mph round trip. When you're going up a steep grade in manual mode, say around 70 mph, and you press the accelerator all the way to the floor, it downshifts itself into 4th gear. Overall, I'm happy with it; it's a great city car. I think it looks pretty cool; not for everybody. I'm just someone who doesn't like American cars. I got it "plain Jane; it only has A/C, and AM/FM radio. But I'm going to add a bunch of upgrades in the near future: intake and exhaust, larger wheels and tires, body kit, gauges, better radio, etc. Then I will really like it!!

I purchased a 2011 Smart ForTwo Passion coupe a couple of weeks ago and wanted to share a few thoughts. So you can judge where I am coming from I drive 30 miles, each way, to work, I have owned in the past a 1977 Chevy Monza, a 1983 Renault Alliance, a 1987 Toyota MR2, a 1997 Mazda Miata, a 2004 Mazda RX8, and most recently a Suzuki SX4 Crossover. I also sell new Volkswagens. So here goes, the car is small, but only on the outside. Person after person has sat or rode in my car and commented on how roomy the interior of the car is. My elderly father was amazed at how easy the car is to enter and exit. The seats are firm but comfortable and there is no shortage of head and leg room. My car is not loaded down with optional equipment and so it is fairly spartan on the inside but it gives me everything I need. The ride is a bit choppy due to the short wheelbase and at high speeds the wind will knock you about a bit. Lately we have been experiencing a considerable number of storms in my area and I have driven my Smart Car on the interstate while experiencing wind gusts of up to 50 mph. While the car moves around a bit it is still easy to control, it would be even easier if I wasn't driving 80 to 85 mph. This is not a car to drag race in as it takes a while to get up to speed, especially with the transmission in "automatic" mode. Using the steering wheel mounted power shifters you can wring a bit more punch out of it and in either mode it has no problem keeping up with highway traffic. Here's the thing, this car forces you to drive, to put real thought into what you are doing while on the road. This is not a sit back and relax car, but neither is a Porsche 911 or a Lotus Elise and that's what makes it so much fun. I compare it to the original VW Beetle, small, rear engined, cheap, and fun to drive without being fast. If you enjoy driving I suggest you go out and buy one today!